Years ago when I was shooting regularly, one of the things I enjoyed was the self-paced marksmanship program the NRA set up. At the height of my ability, I had acheived a Sharpshooter Bar 7 rating in the pistol marksmanship program (.22LR pistol, 25 feet).
Years have, however, passed, and I currently can barely reach the Bar 1 qualification level with the same setup. I intend to improve that, but I've also developed a greater interest in more defense-oriented shooting.
To that end, this past monday I did a timed trial with my S&W 686 (.357 Magnum, 6 shot). I was able to take position, empty the chamber, reload from a speed loader, empty the chamber, reload from a second speed loader, and empty the chamber a third time in exactly one minute. Half of my shots hit a head-sized target at 25 feet. This is nothing impressive by itself, but it does give me a baseline to work from.
I also intend to see if Norpoint stocks or can be persuaded to stock targets for the NRA handgun qualification course, or something similar. The pistol course focuses on accuracy, mostly using a one-handed firing position. The handgun course focuses on getting shots on target, going for less fine accuracy and from a two-handed position.
Slowly regaining my lethality...
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Blackhawk Down
Sunday I watched the movie Blackhawk Down for about the 10th time.
I am fully aware that it is a hollywoodized account of events, though from what I've heard and read I think it is much closer to the truth in detail than the major news networks sometimes average, but I'm told by people I trust that it captures the feel of modern urban combat very well indeed, and is very close to the events it portrays in spirit and the big picture.
That was a really long sentance.
Anyway, the movie gets to me. I've seen it enough times by now that I'm able to really follow the individuals through their various scenes, not just absorb the broad picture as I did the first few times through. Each time I see it, something new jumps out at me. This time it was Lt. Col. McKnight being told his people didn't need to go in with the 10th Mountain's relief column. He doesn't even answer, he just goes.
When I watch a movie based on real events, it tends to lead me to look into the real events in more detail. This time I spent several hours surfing wikipedia. I tend to take information on there with a grain of salt, but reading the various estimates of the Somali forces and casaulties really blew my mind. There's an entire order of magnitude of variation between the various estimates. We've got better information for the battle of Agincourt, and that's one of the most disputed battles I know of.
Even the lowball estimates, though, are impressive. At least a thousand militia against 160 US soldiers, but they still took at least 133 dead to the US's 18. Granted, the Rangers, Delta, and 160th SOAR are some of the best troops the US has. But the US troops weren't really trying to kill the enemy; they were just trying to break in and out. And, of course, those are the lowball estimates, and only count the militia. The other flip side is even scarier - over half the US troops were killed or wounded.
It gets to me, every time.
I am fully aware that it is a hollywoodized account of events, though from what I've heard and read I think it is much closer to the truth in detail than the major news networks sometimes average, but I'm told by people I trust that it captures the feel of modern urban combat very well indeed, and is very close to the events it portrays in spirit and the big picture.
That was a really long sentance.
Anyway, the movie gets to me. I've seen it enough times by now that I'm able to really follow the individuals through their various scenes, not just absorb the broad picture as I did the first few times through. Each time I see it, something new jumps out at me. This time it was Lt. Col. McKnight being told his people didn't need to go in with the 10th Mountain's relief column. He doesn't even answer, he just goes.
When I watch a movie based on real events, it tends to lead me to look into the real events in more detail. This time I spent several hours surfing wikipedia. I tend to take information on there with a grain of salt, but reading the various estimates of the Somali forces and casaulties really blew my mind. There's an entire order of magnitude of variation between the various estimates. We've got better information for the battle of Agincourt, and that's one of the most disputed battles I know of.
Even the lowball estimates, though, are impressive. At least a thousand militia against 160 US soldiers, but they still took at least 133 dead to the US's 18. Granted, the Rangers, Delta, and 160th SOAR are some of the best troops the US has. But the US troops weren't really trying to kill the enemy; they were just trying to break in and out. And, of course, those are the lowball estimates, and only count the militia. The other flip side is even scarier - over half the US troops were killed or wounded.
It gets to me, every time.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Sci-Fi and Medicine
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/05/26/regrowing.body.parts/index.html
Today's science fiction is tomorrow's science.
This is, as far as I know, the first step in moving medicine past science and into engineering. If you have a defective part and can't fix it, you replace it. If spares aren't available, you build a new one. For a long, long time medicine could only fix things in place. With organ transplants and blood transfusions they moved up to replacement. Now we're finally getting into rebuilding.
This is very exciting to me, as I see here the chance to massively improve the overall health of the population. Of course, that's a long ways down the road, but that they've moved into human testing means this procedure is pretty far along.
'I think you should live, and come up with a way to give someone a new heart without anyone needing to die. I think that's much cooler than Santa Claus.' - roughly quoted from memory, Christina Yang, Grey's Anatomy.
Today's science fiction is tomorrow's science.
This is, as far as I know, the first step in moving medicine past science and into engineering. If you have a defective part and can't fix it, you replace it. If spares aren't available, you build a new one. For a long, long time medicine could only fix things in place. With organ transplants and blood transfusions they moved up to replacement. Now we're finally getting into rebuilding.
This is very exciting to me, as I see here the chance to massively improve the overall health of the population. Of course, that's a long ways down the road, but that they've moved into human testing means this procedure is pretty far along.
'I think you should live, and come up with a way to give someone a new heart without anyone needing to die. I think that's much cooler than Santa Claus.' - roughly quoted from memory, Christina Yang, Grey's Anatomy.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Memorial Day
Watch, listen, and remember.
http://www.clermontyellow.accountsupport.com/flash/UntilThen.swf
My friends, to absent companions.
http://www.clermontyellow.accountsupport.com/flash/UntilThen.swf
My friends, to absent companions.
0 for 2 and happy about it
This morning I went to the dentist. I'd been having some tooth pain that I expected was a cavity (would have been the first I've ever had, BTW), and noticed a bit of bone coming out of my lower jaw that I believed was my back wisdom teeth finally coming in.
Turns out I was wrong on both counts. I definately do not have a cavity, just some buildup of debris in the gum pockets. And the bone was in fact bone, but just a chip that the dentist thinks cracked off my lower jaw during the endoscopy a few months back and worked its way to the surface.
Both she and the dental assistant kept telling me I had really good teeth. I can't really see that they're at all impressive myself, but I've been living with them for quite a few years now.
Turns out I was wrong on both counts. I definately do not have a cavity, just some buildup of debris in the gum pockets. And the bone was in fact bone, but just a chip that the dentist thinks cracked off my lower jaw during the endoscopy a few months back and worked its way to the surface.
Both she and the dental assistant kept telling me I had really good teeth. I can't really see that they're at all impressive myself, but I've been living with them for quite a few years now.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Military Service for the CinC
I am absolutely appalled by Senator Harkin suggesting that military experience makes one unfit to be the President of the United States.
Regardless of what I may think of McCain, or Bush for that matter, they served their country. They weren't draft dogders, nor did they marry a draft dodger. I think THAT ought to have made Clinton inelligable to be President. If you're not willing to serve when your country actually calls on you, you have no business sending volunteers OR draftees into harm's way.
I don't demand or even expect combat experience, or even military service. All I expect is someone who didn't reject their country when it asked for their service. Deciding not to volunteer is fine. Ducking out when you're asked for help isn't, unless you've got a REALLY good reason for it.
All that said, I do think having served in the military should stand as a point in someone's favor when considering their fitness for the office of President, doubly so if they've been in combat. Every president since FDR has sent troops into harm's way without getting a declaration of war from Congress first. Sometimes the decisions were good, sometimes they were bad. At least every president except Clinton made that decision as someone who once could have been sent themselves. That gives one a certain perspective, I think. I know my time in public safety gave me a different perspective on when people should run into burning buildings.
Regardless of what I may think of McCain, or Bush for that matter, they served their country. They weren't draft dogders, nor did they marry a draft dodger. I think THAT ought to have made Clinton inelligable to be President. If you're not willing to serve when your country actually calls on you, you have no business sending volunteers OR draftees into harm's way.
I don't demand or even expect combat experience, or even military service. All I expect is someone who didn't reject their country when it asked for their service. Deciding not to volunteer is fine. Ducking out when you're asked for help isn't, unless you've got a REALLY good reason for it.
All that said, I do think having served in the military should stand as a point in someone's favor when considering their fitness for the office of President, doubly so if they've been in combat. Every president since FDR has sent troops into harm's way without getting a declaration of war from Congress first. Sometimes the decisions were good, sometimes they were bad. At least every president except Clinton made that decision as someone who once could have been sent themselves. That gives one a certain perspective, I think. I know my time in public safety gave me a different perspective on when people should run into burning buildings.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
An honest politician
Definition: one who once bought, stays bought.
I don't think the enemy even meets this definition.
I know FOX isn't unbiased, and nor are their stories. I know everyone makes mistakes, and almost everyone lies. But, really, look at some of these! Not just lies, but blatent lies. Not little mistakes or embellishments, some of these are complete fabrications.
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/21/trail-of-tall-tales-hillary-clinton/
I'm curious what the other two parts of this series will show.
I don't think the enemy even meets this definition.
I know FOX isn't unbiased, and nor are their stories. I know everyone makes mistakes, and almost everyone lies. But, really, look at some of these! Not just lies, but blatent lies. Not little mistakes or embellishments, some of these are complete fabrications.
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/21/trail-of-tall-tales-hillary-clinton/
I'm curious what the other two parts of this series will show.
What gets you through the day?
You know what they're like; the days where your body wakes up but your brain doesn't. The days where it seems like there are three hours between 10AM and 11AM. The days where that annoying co-worker asks you questions with just enough space between them for you to think he's done bothering you, but just often enough to keep you from getting any work done.
What do you do to get through those days?
In general, I try to just keep my head down and push through them. I've found that trying to focus on good things I'm expecting when I get done with work just makes the day take longer.
What tricks or tips have helped you get through Those Days?
What do you do to get through those days?
In general, I try to just keep my head down and push through them. I've found that trying to focus on good things I'm expecting when I get done with work just makes the day take longer.
What tricks or tips have helped you get through Those Days?
Monday, May 19, 2008
BBQ, Medical Skills, and Gaming
Well, spring has finally woken up, realized it didn't set its alarm clock, and tried to make up for it with a burst of energy.
Yesterday I hosted a BBQ at my house. A small grill made things run slowly, but good food and good company was enjoyed by all. Mmm, corn on the cob. :-)
Speaking of spring in full power, however, I wound up treating our grill master for sunburn verging on second degree (very very slight blistering, if you're wondering how something can "verge on" being a second degree burn). Still, that's what burn cream is for, and we didn't set anything else on fire or even come close. My bandaging skills have, however, lapsed somewhat, as I needed to retape his dressing after a bit.
We also did gaming, and finished the first module our DM was running us through. I've decided that the "Gridley's Bio" entries I've been doing aren't worth the effort right now, so suffice to say we killed things, took their stuff, and lived to adventure another day. Or, in other words I used in an email: "Well folks, we've regained the sunlight. Battered, bloodied, in some cases drunk, out of wholesome hardtack and meat jerky rations, and hauling 347.52 pounds of loot."
Other weekend highlights (also see the Prince Caspian entry) included watching "Stardust" and most of "No Reservations." Yes, that's right, first weekend of really nice weather in over half a year and I watched three movies instead of mowing the lawn. At least I didn't get sunburn.
Yesterday I hosted a BBQ at my house. A small grill made things run slowly, but good food and good company was enjoyed by all. Mmm, corn on the cob. :-)
Speaking of spring in full power, however, I wound up treating our grill master for sunburn verging on second degree (very very slight blistering, if you're wondering how something can "verge on" being a second degree burn). Still, that's what burn cream is for, and we didn't set anything else on fire or even come close. My bandaging skills have, however, lapsed somewhat, as I needed to retape his dressing after a bit.
We also did gaming, and finished the first module our DM was running us through. I've decided that the "Gridley's Bio" entries I've been doing aren't worth the effort right now, so suffice to say we killed things, took their stuff, and lived to adventure another day. Or, in other words I used in an email: "Well folks, we've regained the sunlight. Battered, bloodied, in some cases drunk, out of wholesome hardtack and meat jerky rations, and hauling 347.52 pounds of loot."
Other weekend highlights (also see the Prince Caspian entry) included watching "Stardust" and most of "No Reservations." Yes, that's right, first weekend of really nice weather in over half a year and I watched three movies instead of mowing the lawn. At least I didn't get sunburn.
Prince Caspian
Saturday I went to see Prince Caspain.
They messed with a lot of minor things, but nailed the core elements of the major plot points and stuck even closer to the spirit of the book.
I really liked how they went into more depth with the Telmarines; seeing the general and the lords have more depth made the story more real; less of a children's story and more of an adult work. Also, once again a scene implied in the book opens the movie and nicely sets the stage for character development.
The attack on the castle may not be cannon, but I thought it was a great sequence; use your advantages in combat!
However, one thing did keep bugging me for the second half of the movie. Every time I looked at Susan, I kept thinking, "Where is she getting makeup in Narnia?!" Well, Edmund had a flashlight, maybe Susan brought a case of makeup.
Countering this, major kudos go to those who worked on Reepicheep. I vividly remember hating what they did to him in the first set of live action films back in the 80's/90's. That set of adaptations wasn't anything much to begin with, but even so I remember Reepicheep and the serpent in The Silver Chair as low points.
It looks like the Dawntreader will sail in 2010; I'm already looking forward to it.
They messed with a lot of minor things, but nailed the core elements of the major plot points and stuck even closer to the spirit of the book.
I really liked how they went into more depth with the Telmarines; seeing the general and the lords have more depth made the story more real; less of a children's story and more of an adult work. Also, once again a scene implied in the book opens the movie and nicely sets the stage for character development.
The attack on the castle may not be cannon, but I thought it was a great sequence; use your advantages in combat!
However, one thing did keep bugging me for the second half of the movie. Every time I looked at Susan, I kept thinking, "Where is she getting makeup in Narnia?!" Well, Edmund had a flashlight, maybe Susan brought a case of makeup.
Countering this, major kudos go to those who worked on Reepicheep. I vividly remember hating what they did to him in the first set of live action films back in the 80's/90's. That set of adaptations wasn't anything much to begin with, but even so I remember Reepicheep and the serpent in The Silver Chair as low points.
It looks like the Dawntreader will sail in 2010; I'm already looking forward to it.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Current EDC
Today I'm carrying a Leatherman for the first time in several years.
For a long time I carried an early Leatherman in the holster with my trauma shears. When I left Pennsylvania, and thus the state where I was a licensed paramedic, I stopped wearing the holster, and decided that the Leatherman was annoying enough to use (plain metal edges cutting into the skin when attempting to use the pliers and some other tools) that it wasn't worth putting in a new place.
I now have a Leatherman Kick, which has plastic grips, and I'm carrying it in a belt pouch.
For the curious, this makes my current EveryDay Carry:
Wallet, ID folder, key holder, coin canister
Watch, glasses, pins, ring, quarter necklace
Glove pouch (2 pairs of nitrile gloves, CPR microshield)
Leatherman
CRKT folding knife
8x21 monocular
Handspring (PDA)
Cell phone
Mini Maglite (LED conversion)
I've been carrying a mini maglite for over 12 years now.
A lot of people have made fun of me over the years for the amount of stuff I carry on my belt. But it comes in handy quite often.
The other night I actually had a dream about using the monocular - the first time I can recall using something from my EDC in a dream.
Even in my dreams, I'm prepared. :-)
For a long time I carried an early Leatherman in the holster with my trauma shears. When I left Pennsylvania, and thus the state where I was a licensed paramedic, I stopped wearing the holster, and decided that the Leatherman was annoying enough to use (plain metal edges cutting into the skin when attempting to use the pliers and some other tools) that it wasn't worth putting in a new place.
I now have a Leatherman Kick, which has plastic grips, and I'm carrying it in a belt pouch.
For the curious, this makes my current EveryDay Carry:
Wallet, ID folder, key holder, coin canister
Watch, glasses, pins, ring, quarter necklace
Glove pouch (2 pairs of nitrile gloves, CPR microshield)
Leatherman
CRKT folding knife
8x21 monocular
Handspring (PDA)
Cell phone
Mini Maglite (LED conversion)
I've been carrying a mini maglite for over 12 years now.
A lot of people have made fun of me over the years for the amount of stuff I carry on my belt. But it comes in handy quite often.
The other night I actually had a dream about using the monocular - the first time I can recall using something from my EDC in a dream.
Even in my dreams, I'm prepared. :-)
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Quality machinery
Another range trip yesterday. I started out with the new carbine I got from a friend at work.
The carbine itself is quite nice, especially for an older firearm. It is a bolt-action magazine-fed .22LR. I haven't been able to find any manufacturer's marks or serial numbers on it, and the exterior is a little rusty and battered. The bolt is smooth and solid, however, and the safety works. The carbine came with a mounted scope. Just from looking at it I could tell it hadn't been put on by a professional gunsmith. It was turned along its axis so that with the carbine level the crosshairs weren't, and if it had ever been bore-sighted it was on a different firearm. Still, I spent several magazines trying to zero it. About fifty rounds later I removed the scope and switched to the iron sights. Suddenly I was getting good groupings without any windage problems. In short the carbine is good and I'm sure that I'll find some use for the scope.
Having warmed up on the carbine I ran a target down to the maximum range available (25 yards), and switched to the AR-15. I fired a single round just for a function check, and spent a minute or two trying to find the hole with my monocular. Reluctantly concluding I'd missed, I pulled the target back to try a preliminary zero at a closer range. Then I spotted a hole at about 5 o'clock, an inch and a half or so from the X. The. First. Round. I'm happy when I do that with a pistol at 25 FEET. OK, neither the rifle nor I is going to Camp Perry anytime soon, but it was a promising start.
After 60 rounds I concluded that I'd need a longer range to zero the weapon. Almost every round would have been a head shot, and I am completely sure the errors were all mine - the rifle is heavy, the recoil is minimal and almost straight back, the trigger breaks cleanly, and the action was very smooth.
Deciding to have some fun, I took a braced position and fired 30 rounds rapid. About 40 seconds later I was surrounded by a haze of powder smoke... and had put every single round into a 4" bullseye. OK, it was a rifle at just 25 yards. It was also rapid fire over iron sights from an inexperienced shooter with a brand new weapon shooting factory reloads. I was expecting to do much worse, and as I practice I'm sure I'll do much better.
I may not be able to hit the broadside of a barn with a centerfire semi-auto handgun, but don't mess with me when I've got my AR. :-)
The carbine itself is quite nice, especially for an older firearm. It is a bolt-action magazine-fed .22LR. I haven't been able to find any manufacturer's marks or serial numbers on it, and the exterior is a little rusty and battered. The bolt is smooth and solid, however, and the safety works. The carbine came with a mounted scope. Just from looking at it I could tell it hadn't been put on by a professional gunsmith. It was turned along its axis so that with the carbine level the crosshairs weren't, and if it had ever been bore-sighted it was on a different firearm. Still, I spent several magazines trying to zero it. About fifty rounds later I removed the scope and switched to the iron sights. Suddenly I was getting good groupings without any windage problems. In short the carbine is good and I'm sure that I'll find some use for the scope.
Having warmed up on the carbine I ran a target down to the maximum range available (25 yards), and switched to the AR-15. I fired a single round just for a function check, and spent a minute or two trying to find the hole with my monocular. Reluctantly concluding I'd missed, I pulled the target back to try a preliminary zero at a closer range. Then I spotted a hole at about 5 o'clock, an inch and a half or so from the X. The. First. Round. I'm happy when I do that with a pistol at 25 FEET. OK, neither the rifle nor I is going to Camp Perry anytime soon, but it was a promising start.
After 60 rounds I concluded that I'd need a longer range to zero the weapon. Almost every round would have been a head shot, and I am completely sure the errors were all mine - the rifle is heavy, the recoil is minimal and almost straight back, the trigger breaks cleanly, and the action was very smooth.
Deciding to have some fun, I took a braced position and fired 30 rounds rapid. About 40 seconds later I was surrounded by a haze of powder smoke... and had put every single round into a 4" bullseye. OK, it was a rifle at just 25 yards. It was also rapid fire over iron sights from an inexperienced shooter with a brand new weapon shooting factory reloads. I was expecting to do much worse, and as I practice I'm sure I'll do much better.
I may not be able to hit the broadside of a barn with a centerfire semi-auto handgun, but don't mess with me when I've got my AR. :-)
Monday, May 12, 2008
I fought the lawn
But I won. :-)
Yesterday I mowed a lawn for the first time in 10 years. Saturday I bought a lawnmower (the manual kind; no engine), sunday I put it together and engaged the overgrown green legions. The grass around my house is now quite a bit shorter.
I also polished my boots, made progress on cleaning and organizing the garage, and helped a neighbor shop for a charcoal grill. All in all, a very domestic weekend in suburbia.
My other purchase this weekend was a dehumidifier, which I'm using to dry off the garage. Its already cool but not freezing, so I figure making it dry makes it a pretty good long-term storage location. A lot of my camping/emergency gear is going to live there, so hopefully my assumptions are good.
Yesterday I mowed a lawn for the first time in 10 years. Saturday I bought a lawnmower (the manual kind; no engine), sunday I put it together and engaged the overgrown green legions. The grass around my house is now quite a bit shorter.
I also polished my boots, made progress on cleaning and organizing the garage, and helped a neighbor shop for a charcoal grill. All in all, a very domestic weekend in suburbia.
My other purchase this weekend was a dehumidifier, which I'm using to dry off the garage. Its already cool but not freezing, so I figure making it dry makes it a pretty good long-term storage location. A lot of my camping/emergency gear is going to live there, so hopefully my assumptions are good.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Large Hadron Collider
http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/05/09/physics.nima/index.html
I'm a real sucker for large-scale experiments. Being an engineer, I think that theory is nice, but you can't really count on any theory; only through experimentation can you really get something you can count on.
I'm also very interested in the nature of the universe, and our role in it.
So I think the Large Hadron Collider is really cool, and I'm really interested to see what they find out.
And if their assumptions are wrong and they get the Chen Event instead, well... at least it will be starting over there. :-}
I'm a real sucker for large-scale experiments. Being an engineer, I think that theory is nice, but you can't really count on any theory; only through experimentation can you really get something you can count on.
I'm also very interested in the nature of the universe, and our role in it.
So I think the Large Hadron Collider is really cool, and I'm really interested to see what they find out.
And if their assumptions are wrong and they get the Chen Event instead, well... at least it will be starting over there. :-}
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Thank you North Carolina!
I think this makes up for all those times you yielded to South Carolina. :-)
Whatever the results of this election are, I think it will be memorable.
Whatever the results of this election are, I think it will be memorable.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Range report
I went with four other people to Norpoint Range yesterday evening; between us we had two shotguns, two pistols, and one carbine. Many innocent pieces of paper were horribly slaughtered.
I picked up a tactical light for my shotgun, and greatly reduced my stress level.
Between us, we fired about 100 rounds each of .30 Carbine, 12ga birdshot, and .38 special, along with a few hundred rounds of .22LR.
The place was once again all but empty except for the people I came with, and a good time was had by all.
I picked up a tactical light for my shotgun, and greatly reduced my stress level.
Between us, we fired about 100 rounds each of .30 Carbine, 12ga birdshot, and .38 special, along with a few hundred rounds of .22LR.
The place was once again all but empty except for the people I came with, and a good time was had by all.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Things not to do
Do not drink a cup of turkish coffee right before going to bed.
Do not multiply 3 x 20 and get 30.
Do not point the super-powerful LED tactical light at a shiny white card to see how powerful it is.
Do not forget to eat breakfast before going to the gun show.
Do not multiply 3 x 20 and get 30.
Do not point the super-powerful LED tactical light at a shiny white card to see how powerful it is.
Do not forget to eat breakfast before going to the gun show.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Be the change
Be the change you want to see in the world.
It is a great sentiment, and even one that is good to apply in practice.
Sadly, it is a very large world.
Grey's Anatomy last night made me think (again!) about what I want in life. I've taken one action already, but it is a very large world, and it is quite possible nothing will come of it.
Part of the problem, I think, is that I'm too lawful. Too obediant to authority. My natural inclination is to respect authority and obey my chain of command, even when I think they're wrong.
This makes it rather difficult to be the change you want in the world.
Even with other people, I tend to be willing to bend myself more than I'm willing to ask others to bend for me. This isn't necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, but again...
This makes it rather difficult to be the change you want in the world.
Back to Grey's for a moment, I really loved how Izzy was able to take George's un-invitation and turn it into something positive. "I'm their boss."
We have to accept change. Change is unending, massive, chaotic, and interwoven into our lives. Most of us, it seems to me, resist change at some instinctive level. Global Warming is bad because... it is a change, and change is bad. Change isn't natural, says the media. So it takes a lot of intertia to get your change rolling; once you do, you may be the leader of a mighty trend. But that first step is a doozy.
This makes it rather difficult to be the change you want in the world.
It is a great sentiment, and even one that is good to apply in practice.
Sadly, it is a very large world.
Grey's Anatomy last night made me think (again!) about what I want in life. I've taken one action already, but it is a very large world, and it is quite possible nothing will come of it.
Part of the problem, I think, is that I'm too lawful. Too obediant to authority. My natural inclination is to respect authority and obey my chain of command, even when I think they're wrong.
This makes it rather difficult to be the change you want in the world.
Even with other people, I tend to be willing to bend myself more than I'm willing to ask others to bend for me. This isn't necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, but again...
This makes it rather difficult to be the change you want in the world.
Back to Grey's for a moment, I really loved how Izzy was able to take George's un-invitation and turn it into something positive. "I'm their boss."
We have to accept change. Change is unending, massive, chaotic, and interwoven into our lives. Most of us, it seems to me, resist change at some instinctive level. Global Warming is bad because... it is a change, and change is bad. Change isn't natural, says the media. So it takes a lot of intertia to get your change rolling; once you do, you may be the leader of a mighty trend. But that first step is a doozy.
This makes it rather difficult to be the change you want in the world.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
A son of Martha or of Mary?
I've been thinking a lot lately of Kipling's poem "The Sons of Martha."
Kipling's poems always grab me, and his writing evokes images in my mind almost as clear as photographs. Other poets write things that are beautiful, or stirring, or more often for me annoying and pointless (hey, I'm an engineer). Kipling makes me think.
Why do I do the things I do? Because I'm a son of Martha. Not the best of her sons, to be sure, but one of them without question.
And the sons of Mary are really, amazingly, annoying. I see the people who think that good things will happen because they want them to, and I mark them as sons of Mary. It is possible that good things will happen on their own, true. But good things are much more likely if one works carefully to bring them about.
I'm not sure whether I'm really a good person or not; if not, I'll get a swig in Hell from Gunga Din.
No one can prepare for everything. No one can make everything in their life run smoothly. The sons of Martha don't expect that; we live in a world of imperfections, and we fix the ones we can.
I am a son of Martha.
Kipling's poems always grab me, and his writing evokes images in my mind almost as clear as photographs. Other poets write things that are beautiful, or stirring, or more often for me annoying and pointless (hey, I'm an engineer). Kipling makes me think.
Why do I do the things I do? Because I'm a son of Martha. Not the best of her sons, to be sure, but one of them without question.
And the sons of Mary are really, amazingly, annoying. I see the people who think that good things will happen because they want them to, and I mark them as sons of Mary. It is possible that good things will happen on their own, true. But good things are much more likely if one works carefully to bring them about.
I'm not sure whether I'm really a good person or not; if not, I'll get a swig in Hell from Gunga Din.
No one can prepare for everything. No one can make everything in their life run smoothly. The sons of Martha don't expect that; we live in a world of imperfections, and we fix the ones we can.
I am a son of Martha.
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